Junior reporters (from left) Lola Wong, Pearl Tin Pui-yiu, and Jenny Tong with Dr Sobel Chan.A free workshop about "play" and video production, called "Action! Create Your Own Superheroes!", was held at HKBU on June 30 by award-winning director Heiward Mak Hei-yan. Our junior reporters went to the workshop. This is what they learned ...
Dr Sobel Chan Ka-Lok, Senior Lecturer at the Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University
Chan offered participants in the competition some valuable advice on filming.
"The storyboard serves as a reference, but improvisation is always needed when shooting on location, to make the most of what the setting can provide," he said.
Chan also recommends that the contestants visit the location before the actual shoot so that they can figure out the best time of day to go. They should watch out for things like lighting and noise.
In terms of equipment, Chan said they could even use their smartphone.
"There are some useful apps to edit video, and they are easy to use," said Chan.
Jenny Tong
Heiward Mak Hei-yan, Director and Winner of Best Screenplay at the Hong Kong Film Awards, and PlayTime
The junior reporters interview Mak (in pink) and several members of PlayTime
During the workshop, Mak and the PlayTime team presented a sample video for Unicef HK. They co-operated with primary school students to highlight the true essence of play. In the video, they played games with students, using simple materials, such as balloons, to create toys.
They hope more children will play with friends instead of spending time on electronic devices.
"Children should not be forced to do things they don't want to do," said Mak. "Parents are responsible for providing [a suitable] environment for their children to enjoy their free time."
Pearl Tin
Kitty Chan, Advocacy & Public Relations Manager, Hong Kong Committee for Unicef
Play unleashes creativity and provides the platform for children to make mistakes without worrying about the consequences, unlike in real life, Chan said.
She pointed out two issues - the lack of venues for disabled children and the dullness of children's playgrounds - that had to be tackled.
Finding time to play is another issue. "Nowadays, most children in Hong Kong have a full schedule every day, and have to do extra activities out of school. They don't have enough time to play," said Chan.
She hopes that making videos will become popular among youngsters.
"I hope lots of directors will show the problem from different angles, raising public awareness on the true essence of 'play'," she said.
Lola Wong
Young Post organises regular activities for our junior reporters. If you wish to join, send your name, age, school and contact details to [email protected] with "jun rep application" in the subject field
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